Behind the Curtain
by MissKatt18
Summary: Unable to pay for her brother's cancer treatments once the insurance no longer covers it, Kagome is presented with an opportunity to pay off the debt. A tale of a girl's struggle in a world she never thought she'd be a part of.
1. You'll Be in My Heart

**A/N: This story...-pauses-...erm. Is going to be very different in my opinion. This story is going to touch base close to me and my heart based on my past experiences. This story is to educate people based on something I have been judged for.**

**Disclaimer: **All Inuyasha goodness belongs to the amazing Takahashi-san!

_**Behind the Curtain**_

_**By MissKatt**_

You'll Be in My Heart

Kagome inhaled deeply and held it for a moment as she braced herself. She released it slowly and stared at the gleaming metal of the hospital elevator doors. Much to her dismay, her blurred reflection stared back with moist, solemn eyes. No, this look wouldn't do. She had to be happy for him; had to show _hope_ that he would get better.

He would, wouldn't he?

The elevator dinged with her arrival to his floor and she stepped out onto the immaculate tile when the doors slid open. The entire wing smelled clean and sterile, it made her feel awkward. She put a smile on her face and headed down the hall towards a pair of beige hospital doors. She moved towards the call box and pressed the pound number.

"_Pediatrics Cancer Ward, who are you here to visit?"_

She cleared her throat. "Higurashi Souta. He is in room 204." She replied.

"_Ah, Higurashi-san. Welcome back!_" The nursed replied as she buzzed her in.

Kagome didn't bother with a reply as she walked through the doors. She waved at the nurse who let her in and made her way to her little brother's room. She took in another shaky breath and released it as she opened the door. She looked at the first bed closest to the door and gave the sleeping girl a smile. She was glad Souta finally received a roommate. Maybe it will help him pass the day.

She then let her eyes fall on her little brother and saw him reclined against the pillows, his iPod earbuds stuffed in his ears. The sight of the machines and monitors around him pulled at her heart. The way the tubes were stuffed up into his nose made her eyes water, she wanted to rip out the IV that left his skin horridly bruised and take him back home to the shrine. But she knew she couldn't or he would die. Right now, the hospital and its treatments were the only thing keeping him alive; or so they said.

She made her way over to him and as she sat down, he pulled out his headphones with a grin."Kagome-neechan!" He said enthusiastically and reached over to hug her.

Instantly, the machines started buzzing as his finger heart monitor fell off. She hurriedly clamped it back on his pointer finger and gave him a small smile. "You can't move too fast, Souta-chan. These things are fragile."

He frowned and slumped back against the pillows. "I can't even hug my sister without _something_ going wrong."

The miko furrowed her brow and sat next to him on his bed. He sounded so bitter, making him sound like a completely different person. She would always remember him as the carefree little boy who was obsessed with soccer and making her life hell every other day. She didn't want him to become someone else just because of his condition.

"Don't talk like that, Souta-chan," She scolded gently. "This is just a fickle machine. It has nothing to do with you."

He cocked his head at her. "What does that mean?"

She gave him a smile, forgetting he had been out of school for the past two years. "It means it's a stupid little machine that is moody and easily upset." Okay, so that wasn't the exact definition of fickle, but it would get her point across and, when he smiled, it made it worth it.

"You can be fickle sometimes, Kagome-neechan." He pointed out with a wicked grin.

She suddenly grew serious as her brows raised up. "Oh, am I?" She asked and then brought up her hands in a threatening matter.

His white skin paled more at the impending doom behind her action. "N-no! Kagome-neechan! I'm sorry! You're not moody! No! Don't! Ahh!" He then broke into a fit of squealing laughter when she began to tickle his sides.

"Moody and easily upset am I? I'll show you!" She teased and continued tickling him until he began to wheeze.

When she stopped, he sat there against the pillows holding his sides as he wheezed to get his breath back. "Oh-kay," He rasped. "I des-erved that."

She smiled and smoothed his thinning hair. "It's okay, I forgive you." She watched as he breathed nosily, trying to regain his breath.

She clenched her hands on her leggings. It was so unfair that her brother suffered from Leukemia. He was diagnosed two years ago when she and Kikyou had taken him to the hospital for a cut he got in soccer that wouldn't stop bleeding. The doctor had told her and her sister that he was simply anemic and would need iron supplements. Thinking nothing of it, they did as the doctor told them. He took iron supplements twice a day; one during breakfast the other at dinner.

Things were okay for a while until he started bruising easily, even from their fat cat Buyo sleeping on his leg or his socks being too tight around his ankles caused faint bruises. They upped his iron supplement as well as started giving him potassium pills. When he started getting a loss of appetite, Kikyou had assured her it was because of the vitamin intake. With their mother no longer there for advice, she trusted her sister.

He then began to complain about his legs hurting him and even began to limp around the house. Kikyou said he was faking it and disregarded him. But, when he cried to Kagome, she began to pay more attention to it.

"_Kagome-neechan," Souta whined from his spot on the bed, drawing his sister's attention to him as she set out his outfit for the next day. "I swear to the Kami I'm not lying." _

_Kagome moved to his bed and sat down next to it. "I believe you Souta-chan," She said truthfully and then pushed his covers back. "Tell me where it hurts okay?" She put her hands on both of his legs and slowly applied pressure as she moved down his legs._

_He winced a little each time she grabbed him, but cried out when she touched his ankles. "There! It hurts there!" He cried and began sobbing._

_Concerned, she pushed up his pant legs, but there weren't any bruises there. "Did you hurt it in soccer? Maybe you twisted it or stepped on it wrong?" _

_He shook his head. "I don't think so."_

_She put his pant leg back in place and put her hands on his face to wipe away his tears. "I will talk with Kikyou, okay? For now, just get a good night sleep," She tucked him in and kissed his forehead. "I love you, Souta-chan."_

_He sniffled and nodded. "I love you too."_

Kagome insisted on taking him to the doctors, but Kikyou again reassured her that it probably just a twisted ankle. They didn't have much money to spend on hospital bills, she knew, but if he was seriously hurting then he needed to be looked at. Still, Kikyou refused.

It wasn't until Souta was head butted in the face during a soccer game did Kagome finally take him to the hospital despite their sister's protests. He had gotten a bloodied nose, but it didn't stop after a few minutes. It had last so long that he had eventually fainted from it. That was when Kagome panicked and taken him to the emergency room.

That was when they found out he had cancer.

"This is so stupid!"

She blinked and looked down at her little brother as he shouted. "What's wrong?" She asked worriedly. Was he okay? Was he in pain?

He lifted his arm where the IV was dug into skin and showed that a new bruise had formed around the side of it from their 'roughhousing'. He lowered it back down and stared into his lap as tears flooded his eyes. "When am I going to get better, Neesan?"

Her heart clenched painfully and she felt her own eyes moisten. She wrapped an arm around him and drew him to her chest. She hugged him tightly and willed her voice to stay steady as she spoke. "You will get better, Souta-chan," She promised. "You will."

His tears soaked her shirt. "When? Why haven't I yet?"

She didn't have answer. What could she possibly say? "The Kami are waiting for the right time. They're making your soul stronger while your body catches up."

He sighed heavily and leaned against his sister. "I don't feel very strong." He whispered as tears continued to spill down his cheeks.

She frowned for a moment before she suddenly smiled when she remembered his favorite song. She hadn't sang to him in so long, so why not?

"_Come stop your crying_

"_It'll be alright_." She sang and smiled wider when her perked up to look at her. She took his hand in hers and gave it a squeeze.

"_Just take my hand_,

_Hold it tight_.

_I will protect you_

_From all around you_

_I will be here_

_Don't you cry,_"

He sniffled and curled into his sister. Leave it to her to remember his favorite Disney movie. She always knew how to make things better for him. After their mother died when he was three, she always sang him to sleep to sooth him. He looked over at his roommate when she began rousing and gave her a small smile when she sat up and rubbed her eyes, listening to the girl's signing.

Kagome wrapped her arms around him when he cuddled up to her. She saw the little girl's curiosity and ushered her over. She waited until the girl climbed out of bed and put her IV bag on the portable hook. She then skipped over, her orange night dress dancing with her, and climbed onto the bed, making sure her tubes weren't in the way of anything else. Kagome smiled at her and put her cheek on the top of Souta's head as she continued singing.

"_For one so small,_

_You seem so strong_

_My arms will hold you,_

_Keep you safe and warm_

_This bond between us_

_Can't be broken_

_I will be here_

_Don't you cry."_

The girl laid down on her stomach and put her chin in her hands as she listened to the pretty lady sing. "Oh! I know this part!" She said when they reached the chorus.

"Then you should definitely sing with me!" She said and tightened her arms around Souta. "You too, Mister. Don't tell me you're too old to sing with your sister."

He smiled embarrassingly and shook his head. "Of course not." He mumbled.

"_'Cause you'll be in my heart_

_Yes, you'll be in my heart_

_From this day on_

_Now and forever more,"_ They sang as a trio. Kagome looked up when a silver-haired man came into the room, no doubt there for the little girl, and gave him a small smile as he looked at them with his amber eyes when they continued on with the second part of the chorus.

"_You'll be in my heart_

_No matter what they say_

_You'll be here in my heart, always_."

A/N: **I did not **_**intend **_**for this to turn out as a songfic chapter lol I promise this isn't a songfic. While there will be music in this story, it usually won't have the lyrics written out as it was here. IF you guys did like it, since I didn't write the whole song, let me know and I'll consider putting more in. (:**

**Disclaimer #2: "You'll Be in My Heart" belongs to Phil Collins and those associated with its fabrication process. **


	2. A Way Out

**Disclaimer: **All Inuyasha goodness belongs to the amazing Takahashi-san!

_**Behind the Curtain**_

_**By MissKatt**_

_A Way Out_

The man watched with amber eyes as his daughter sat upon her roommate's bed, singing with some stranger and a boy. He had requested his daughter get transferred to a new room due to her other one wailing throughout the night. Now he had arrived to see this? She was supposed to be in bed, not singing with energy she didn't have to spare.

"Rin," He said sternly causing the girl to jump slightly before she looked at him. "Get back into bed."

"Hai, Papa," She responded with a dejected tone and crawled off the bed. She sulked over to her bed and climbed in while her father put her IV bag back onto its stationary hook. She smiled at him when he looked at her. "I missed you." She stated, love in her chocolate brown eyes.

Sesshoumaru exhaled, his irritation leaving him as he did. He pulled up a chair and sat down next to her bed as he loosened his tie. "As I you," He replied. "I am sorry work kept me late."

She shook her head. "It is okay, Papa. I knew you would come." She beamed happily and reached under her pillow to pull out a folded piece of white construction paper. "I drew this for you in craft time, but kept it hidden because I remember what you told me."

Curious, he took the paper from her and opened it. She had drawn a large white dog with his markings on it. It was his true form; the pose was almost identical to the picture he had shown her years ago. His eyes scanned the drawing and he saw that on his paw was a stick figure of a little girl hugging his ankle.

"This is very good Rin." He complimented and folded the paper back up. "Thank you for keeping it a secret." He did not like people to know what his true form looked like. Besides, there was no need for true forms anymore anyways.

She grinned once again. "Of course, Papa!"

A nurse knocked on the door once before letting herself in. She smiled at Sesshoumaru and bowed low to him. "Konbanwa, Taisho-san."

He simply nodded to her, keeping his attention on Rin as she told him a story about what she did during craft time.

Her smile faltered at his rudeness before she turned to look at Kagome. "Higurashi-san? May I speak with you?"

Kagome nodded and laid Souta back down on his bed from when he fell asleep on her and pulled the blankets up to his neck. As she walked past the girl's bed, she waved, causing the girl to smile widely and wave frantically while her father narrowed his eyes. She blinked and quickly put her hand back down before following the nurse from the room.

"Is everything alright?" She asked once they were away from the room.

"Umm, why don't we wait until we reach the front?" The nurse replied.

As they walked to the front desk, she saw Kikyou standing there, an annoyed look etched into her face. "Kikyou?"

Her older sister turned to look at her. "I was called in to meet here. Have you heard?"

She shook her head. "What's going on?"

Kikyou turned her cold brown eyes on the nurse behind the desk, making her shrink back in fear. "Apparently our insurance stopped paying for Souta's treatment."

Kagome instantly paled. She felt her legs and hands grow cold while goose bumps rose on her flesh. "W-what?" She breathed.

"Yeah," She snapped, eyes hardening further as she stared at the poor nurse behind the counter. "Why don't _you_ tell her how long it has been since they stopped?"

"T-they pulled out almost eight weeks ago." She stammered, trying to shrink away from the woman's heated gaze.

"For the last two months the hospital has been charging us." The elder miko added. "His hospital stay, his pain medicine IV drip, his chemotherapy treatments, his radiation treatments, his stem cell transplants, blood transfusions, his bone marrow transfusions, his blood analysis, everything!" She all but screamed.

"H-how much is that?" Kagome asked, almost afraid of the answer.

"Yes, how much _is_ that?" Kikyou asked, clenching her jaw in anger.

The nurse gulped and typed frantically on the computer until she pulled up the results. "Well, each Chemotherapy is ¥1,501,600.00 and he has had two of those. Radiation therapy is ¥2,064,700.00 and he had three of those during the past two months. His stem cell transplant was ¥8,446,500.00 and then we had to isolate him to rebuild his immune system-"

"Stop!" Kagome cried, her hand going to her heart. This was too much already. She couldn't hear the rest.

"Just tell us the total!" Kikyou snapped, feeling her own remorse and dread.

"Um, with that plus his hospital stay and a few other things, your total is at ¥20,177,750.00." She replied and leapt back when Kikyou slammed her hands on the desk.

"Are you _fucking_ kidding me?!" She screamed.

Kagome sunk to her knees. How could they possibly expect them to pay something so extreme? Not to mention that debt was only going to grow the longer he stayed there. She only made ¥300 above minimum wage how were she and her sister supposed to do this? They had sold their family's shrine four years ago when their mother died to pay for her funeral. Her mother didn't have much money, so they didn't receive anything but the house. After they paid off the funeral expenses and her mother's small debt, they took the rest to buy a small house together.

"Take him off his machines. I'm taking him home with me." The older Higurashi snapped, digging through her purse for her cell phone.

"What!?" She asked, climbing back to her feet. "We can't do that, Kikyou! He still needs to be treated!"

Kikyou stared at her incredulously. "He's digging us further and further into debt!"

"He's our little brother! We can't risk him dying!" She shouted back.

"I can't risk losing everything!" She snapped back.

Kagome reeled back in shock. "Are you kidding me?" She asked and then knitted her brows together in anger. "He's our _brother_, you selfish bitch!"

"Are you going to pay for this? _Huh_?!" She asked, stepping forward to get in her sister's face. "Because I refuse to pay for anything else!"

"Fine! Then split the current bill with me and I'll pay for everything else afterwards, alright?" She sighed heavily. "I won't give up on him, Kikyou."

Instantly, her sister's fire cooled a bit. "Fine, but you're paying for everything after this," She said and then ran her hand through her hair. "But how are we to pay for this now?"

"Perhaps I could be of service!"

The sisters looked up to see a man with a long black braid standing at the desk to the right of them. "Excuse me?" Kikyou asked, narrowing her eyes.

"My name is Banryu Bankotsu," He bowed slightly to them in greeting. "I couldn't help but hear of your predicament."

Kikyou turned her nose up at him. "You shouldn't listen in to other people's conversations, it's rude."

"Indeed it is." He shrugged. "But you were speaking quite loud."

Kagome put her hand on his sister's shoulder to prevent her from punching him in the face. "How can we help you, Banryu-san?"

"Please, call me Bankotsu," He flashed her a cocky smile. "And you are…?"

"Higurashi Kagome. This is my sister Kikyou." Kagome introduced, bowing slightly to him while Kikyou remained upright.

"It is a pleasure to meet you." He smiled again. "And I am simply here to offer you two a way out of your rather large debt."

"A way out…?" She breathed, blinking. Could there possibly be a way around this?

"Yes. I will pay off your debt for you in full by tomorrow if you agree." He leaned against the desk, his dark blue eyes staring into hers.

"What's the catch?" Kikyou asked, crossing her arms over her chest. She wasn't a fool. Every kind of deal like this came with a price.

He smiled ruefully. "You only have to pay me back by working for me."

"What kind of work?" They asked in unison.

"I own a club, you see, and I need a few more girls to keep my business flowing." He smirked.

The hair on the back of Kagome's neck stood up in warning. "W-what kind of club exactly?"

"It's called The Shikon, perhaps you've heard of it?" He asked, now looking at his nails.

Kagome and Kikyou bristled before looking at each other. Yes, they knew of the famous strip club in Tokyo. Who hadn't? When she was in high school that was where all of her male classmates and friends went when they turned eighteen. This guy really expected them to work at such an industry? Did they look like whores?

"Um, Bankotsu-san, thank you so much for your offer, but I don't think we-" She began, but he cut her off.

"My girls make anywhere between ¥47,000 to ¥76,000 a _night_. Some make more, it all depends on you and how you work it." He said, smirking triumphantly. "And please keep in mind that I do not run full-nude establishments. And, while it is topless, I do not condone any promiscuous behavior."

Kagome let out a forced laugh. "How _noble_ of you," She remarked. Really, she couldn't believe he was serious! And he took pride in owning such a demeaning club? She was a woman, not a show thing. "But really, I don't think we are-"

"I'll do it." Kikyou said suddenly.

She turned to her sister with an openly shocked stare. "You…you what?"

"I said I'll do it," She replied and then looked at Bankotsu. "Do you have a card?"

"Ah, but of course Higurashi-san." He said and fished through the pocket inside his blazer. He pulled out the black and pink card and handed it to her. "Come down and audition, don't worry it's just a formality, and once we sign your papers and get you _contracted_ I will pay off your half of the debt. Then, you may pay me back day by day or as you see fit."

She nodded as she looked down at the card, reading the phone number and address printed there. "What time should I come?"

"Any time after eight. Bring something sexy to wear as well as heels. Once you are hired, we will talk specifics for your attire." He responded and then turned and handed Kagome a card as well. "You say no, but I'll let you think about it."

Out of politeness, she took the card and watched as he gave them a nod before leaving the hospital. Once he was gone, she turned on her sister. "Are you crazy? You're really going to work for him?"

She sighed. "Look, Kagome, if we can make ¥76,000 a night and we work all week, that's ¥532,000 a week, ¥2,128,000 a month. In five months I will have my half paid off plus extra. And, I'll also have my other job to pay for living expenses. It's not that bad of an option."

Kagome opened her mouth and then closed it. Her sister was _serious_. But, they were some of the last mikos to be known. They were decedents of Midoriko, and carried her pure blood! _They_ were considered pure and holy! And now she was going to expose herself for _money_? That was insane! It was everything they stood against! What would the Kami say?

Seeing her sister's inner conflict, she tucked the card in her purse. "You can handle your half of the debt however you wish, Kagome, but I'm paying mine off as soon as possible to just be done with it. I suggest you find a way to do that same thing." With that, she stepped around her sister and went to visit her little brother while she was there.

Kagome watched her go and clenched the card tightly in her fist.

**A/N: The numbers aren't made up, by the way. I researched costs and, in order of listed, these were the prices: 16,000(x2), 22,000 (x3), 90,000, is $188,000. I added in a few more expenses and came up with $215,000. I then converted it to Yen and that's the number. Then, 47,000 yen is about $500, 76,000 yen is about $800. Crazy, ne?**


	3. The Decision

**Disclaimer: **All Inuyasha goodness belongs to the amazing Takahashi-san!

**Behind the Curtain**

**By MissKatt**

The Decision

Cerulean colored eyes scanned the papers scattered across her dining room table. Kagome propped her elbows on the table and pressed her hands to her forehead as she read over her expense report and current pending bills. After her bills, groceries, schooling, and train fare, she had a pretty good amount of money left. But, she knew she was forgetting something. Still, on her salary, there was no way she could pay off her half of Souta's debt, let alone keep paying for his treatments.

She ran her hands up into her bangs and through her hair before lying back flat against the tatami mats. How was she supposed to do all this? If she took time off from school and didn't pay her tuition that would give her a good extra chunk of money. But, that still wouldn't even put a dent in the debt. What was she to do?

Was Kikyou right in stopping Souta's treatment?

She mentally slapped herself and covered her face with her forearm as she inhaled deeply. How could she even think that? She wouldn't lose another family member! They had already lost their father and grandfather in their early childhood. Then, their mother had passed a few years ago, leaving her siblings with no one for parental guidance. She and Kikyou were forced to grow up faster in order to take care of their brother.

Still, the huge number was imprinted in her brain, making her see it every time she closed her eyes. She couldn't even begin to imagine how she would pay off her debt, yet Kikyou would have hers paid off in five months' time. How long would it take her?

She removed her arm from her face and looked up at her ceiling, pursing her lips together as she ceiling fan rotated in a perfect rhythm. Hmm, rhythm. She had a little bit of it, right? Sure, she wasn't as sexy as her sister, but she wasn't completely incompetent when it came to dancing. She had even taken a dance class in college for an elective and received a decent mark!

But, stripping was different from dancing, wasn't it? Of course it was. It involved a pole and taking off your clothes. How did you even dance with a pole to begin with? It just seemed so…awkward. Now that she thought about it, she had never really seen anyone dance on a pole before except for 'Pole Fail' videos on YouTube. Even then, she was paying more attention to their falls than their actual attempted trick.

Sitting up, she grabbed her laptop from across the table and opened the lid and double-clicked on the Firefox web browser. Once the main Google page was loaded, she brought up the YouTube homepage and typed in 'pole dancing'. Instantly, 140,000 results popped up after she hit enter. Frowning, she picked on a random clip and turned up the volume as music filtered through her speakers when the video began to play. She blinked as she saw a fairly built woman in work out shorts and a tank top begin to twirl around the pole elegantly as if it were a dance partner. She subconsciously moved closer to the screen when the woman effortlessly lifted herself from the ground and flipped herself upside down before hooking one leg on the pole, leaving her hanging upside down on the pole with nothing more than her knee, thigh, and side holding her there.

"What the…" She breathed as she continued to watch, the woman now back on ground and spinning around like she hadn't just defied gravity. She then furrowed her brow when the dancer put the top of one her feet against the pole and pulled herself up with her arms, her other foot coming around to hold the pole between her ankles. She then proceeded to climb up the pole in the same manner before crossing her legs and hanging upside down once she reached the top.

Kagome continued to watch the rest of the video, mesmerized by the woman's strength and skill. Was this what all strippers did? She had no idea! She simply thought they pranced around in stilts while flaunting their breasts. She didn't know they did crazy stuff like she had just witnessed. If they did, she gave them props because there was no way she could ever do anything remotely close to that. Hell, she doubted she could even twirl around the pole without tripping over her feet. Throw in a pair of heels? Pfft, hello Death!

She closed her laptop lid with a sigh and looked over at Bankotsu's card sitting on the table next to her laptop. She stared at it for a good twenty second before tearing her eyes away from the inviting gloss paper. No, no, no! What was she thinking? She couldn't possibly strip. She just couldn't! What if someone saw her? What if it got around to her friends? What if rumors began to spread about her? What if her Sensei came in?

Still, what Kikyou said echoed in her mind. Why not get it out of the way? Why should she spend her life paying a debt she might not ever pay off? She would never be able to finance anything ever again with that looming over her head. What if she wanted to buy a car? Or a house? She snorted at the ridiculousness. She could hardly put money towards her brother's medical debt, let alone buy a house.

"Argh!" She growled and buried her face in her hands once again. What was she to do? Did she throw way all her values and pride to pay off a debt that could possibly ruin her life if not paid off? Or did she deal with it and risk losing everything if she failed to pay it?

"Mama…" She breathed with a watery voice. "What do I do? Would you and papa, even Jii-chan, hate me forever for doing such a disgraceful thing? But, it's for Souta-chan," She breathed and then balled her hands into fists before slamming them down on the table. "This all your guys' fault!" She cried. "If you guys hadn't left us, we wouldn't be forced to deal with this alone!"

She knew she was being unfair, but she was so stressed and distraught she wasn't sure what to do with herself. She momentarily withdrew herself from her self-pity when her phone vibrated on the mat next to her. She reached down and lifted a brow at the unlisted number. Sliding her thumb across the cool glass of the iPhone screen, she answered the phone and pressed it to her ear.

"Moshi moshi?"

_"Higurashi Kagome?"_ Came the feminine voice.

"Hai, who many I ask I calling?" She inquired, not recognizing the voice.

_"It's Kinomoto Mayu from Koi Springs Apartments." _

Kagome paled, the iPhone slipping through her fingers as she remembered what she had forgotten earlier during her expense report. She had applied for an apartment two months ago in Kawagoe for an apartment that would be opening up around this time. She fumbled for her phone and caught it again before speaking, "O-oh, hai! I remember. How are you?" Please let her be denied, please let her be denied!

_"I just wanted to let you know that your check for your first month's rent and deposit cleared and we have finalized everything! You can pick up your keys tomorrow!__"_

_Damn! _"Oh, is that so?" She pursed her lips together. "Ano…something came up that is rather personal; is there any way I can cancel this? I just can't move at this time."

_"Gomen, Higurashi-san, but it can't be undone. We told you as such when you applied. The only way it wouldn't go through is if your check bounced."_

"But, you don't understand this is something really, really bad. My little brother has leukemia and I have to pay for his hospital bills now. I can't afford that and an apartment." She protested. Surely they could help her out. Right?

_"I am so sorry to hear that, Higurashi-san," _Her voice didn't sound like she was sorry, Kagome mused._ "But, as I said, we have already cashed your check and it has already been run through your credit. You signed all the paperwork making it official. Gomen!__" _

Her heart sunk. "Oh, I see," She murmured. "Arigato, Kinomoto-san."

_"See you tomorrow!__"_

The miko pressed 'End' with a deep frown. Now she was really screwed. How could she have forgotten that? Now, with all her bills, she would be lucky to have ¥18,000 to last her through the month. That wasn't very much, but then again, she didn't really go out and waste money.

She sighed heavily and looked down at her phone. Kikyou should be on her way home from work soon and then she would be getting ready for her audition at Shikon. Swallowing her pride, she called her older sister.

She picked up after three rings._ "Hai, Kagome?"_

"Kikyou," She began nervously and chewed on the inside of her lip. "Are you still going to night?" She heard her sister sigh annoyingly on the other end.

_"Hai, Kagome, and you can't talk me out of it so stop trying. I need this__-"_

"No!" She blurted out, cutting her off. She tucked her hair behind her ear. "I mean, I'm not trying to."

_"Then why ask?"_

"B-because," She took a deep breath to try and steady her nerves. "Because I think I am going to go with you, if that's okay."

There was silence for a moment, making Kagome fidget nervously.

_"Of course you can come with me, Kags. Maybe it'll be better for both of us if we both work there. Moral support, you know? That way we won't be alone in a new place.__" _She answered.

Kagome nodded. "H-hai. I'd feel better with you there," Not that she needed her big sister for protection, but because it would be more comfortable for her if she knew at least one person. "What do I need to have?"

_"I talked to Bankotsu earlier today. He said to make sure we bring heels and something sexy to change into. Also, he said to make sure we think of stage name.__"_

"Stage name?" She echoed. "Like, a fake name?"

_"Hai. He said it's for our own protection. He said it's so people don't know our real names and can't look us up and try to stalk us__." _

She furrowed her brow. "Does that happen? Girls get stalked? Do they get raped? What about kil-"

_"Kagome!" _Kikyou snapped, cutting off her sister._ "Stop it. He simply said it's to protect us. Just think of a good name, alright? I'll see you in about fifteen__." _

"O-okay. See you soon. Drive safe." She murmured and ended the call.

That conversation did not ease her panic. No, it made it worse to know that they had to create fake names in order to protect themselves. She couldn't help but think if stuff like that really happened. Did girls get stalked by customers? Did they die? This was insane! She couldn't do this!

She shook her head. She could do this! She had to. It was just like acting right? All she had to do was act like she was some dancer named…Ah, now she had to think of a name. What would she use?

Better yet, what would she wear?

A/N: 18,000 yen approx is 200 dollars.


	4. The Audition

**Disclaimer: **All Inuyasha goodness belongs to the amazing Takahashi-san!

**Behind the Curtain**

**By MissKatt**

The Audition

Kagome fidgeted nervously in the passenger seat of her sister's car as they drove towards their doom. Well, her doom. Kikyou seemed rather fine with the idea of exposing her flesh to pay off their debt. She still couldn't fathom how she was so calm about it, but decided to not ask. It wouldn't help anyways.

Kagome wrung her hands together and glanced at the time displayed on the dashboard. "Aren't we going to be late?" She asked softly.

Kikyou's dark brown eyes flickered towards the gleaming red numbers before switching back to the road. "He said to be there any time after eight." She replied with a tight voice.

She frowned as they settled back into a tense silence. Those were the first words they had spoken to each other since they got in the car. She didn't know what was going on in her sister's mind to make her quiet, but she all too aware of her own. She kept sinking into the depths of her mind where her fears and insecurities lurked. They sunk their hateful claws into her wavering courage and began to tear ferociously at it, weakening her resolve to do what she had agreed to.

"We're here," Kikyou announced as she pulled into a parking space and turned off the car. She pulled her keys from the ignition and turned to look at her younger sibling. "Ready?"

Kagome simply nodded and stepped out of the vehicle. She hoisted her yellow backpack onto her shoulder as she looked at the building in front of her. It was painted light grey with security cameras and lights spaced out around it. The only thing that made her think it was anything but a jail house, was the bright, neon pink sign that read 'Shikon'.

She followed her sister toward the entrance and walked through the French door. She jumped slightly when a loud beep went off and glanced around with panic in her eyes.

"Relax, Hun," A light male voice said from behind the glass counter of the entry way. "It's to alert us when a customer enters and there's no one back here to greet them."

She turned to the male with the heavy makeup and gave him an awkward, lopsided smile. "O-oh, is that so?" She asked.

He extended his hand to her. "I'm Jakotsu, one of the managers here. I assume you are the Higurashi sisters?" Kagome nodded as she shook his hand, but otherwise remained quiet.

"Where should we get ready?" Kikyou asked, shifting her bag from one hand to another.

"Ah, let me show you to the dressing room." He said with a smile and stepped out from behind the counter and gestured them to follow him.

Kagome pursed her lips together as they followed the manager through the second set of doors a few feet in front of them. She blinked several times as they stepped into the dark room, trying to get her eyes to adjust to the poor lighting. Once they adjusted, she took in the club before her. To her right was a blocked off area with a single entrance where a bouncer stood, his arms crossed over his chest. She assumed it was a dance area from the sign that said ¥2000 per dance as well as the way a dancer dragged a highly intoxicated customer back there.

Further to the right were the restrooms as well as a curtained off room. To her left was the main area of the club. Towards the back of the main area was a large stage, three tall poles coming from the sparkly ground to meet the roof in a series of bolts. Surrounding the railing of the stage were several seats, some currently occupied as customers watched the stripper on stage with entranced gazes, throwing a few yen pieces here and there.

A few feet away from the stage, and taking up most of the main area of the club, were about thirty tables that seated up to three people. Against the wall that was directly next to her left was lined with white booths marked 'V.I.P.'. Following the trail of booths along the left wall, she could see a raised area of the club. There were three red velvet booths with tables that were marked 'V.I.P. Bottle Service'. She wasn't sure what the difference was, but gathered that the red booths were for the wealthier customers.

"Kagome!"

She blinked out of her staring and looked at her sister as she was scolded. She hurried to catch up with them and carefully went up the two steps towards the bar area. In this area was, of course, the bar as well as a few high tables with barstools. As they walked across the bar area, she looked at the blinding neon light that read 'Champagne Suite' over another set of closed off curtains. She could only imagine what went on in there.

"Arigato," Kikyou said as Jakotsu pulled a third set of curtains aside for them. She paused and waited for his sister and then let Jakotsu walk past them and down the narrow hallway.

"Now, ladies, this is the main dressing room. This, if you choose this one, will be the dressing room where you get ready every day. You will soon be assigned a locker after your audition. Also, this dressing room has direct access to the stage," He paused them halfway through the hall to show them a fourth set of curtains. "These curtains lead to the stage. You will enter and exit the stage from here. Understand?"

"Hai," They murmured in response and followed him down the remaining portion of the hall.

"Girls!" Jakotsu called in a sing-song voice as they rounded the corner, taking them into the dressing room. Lining the wall was a bar-top ledge with chairs around it so the girls could get ready.

"Jakotsu-ai!" They squealed in return, rushing from their seats to hug him.

Kagome's eyes widened as the swarm of half-naked women threw themselves at the manager. She stepped back slightly, but froze when her sister nudged her. She raised her eyes to meet cold brown orbs and frowned as Kikyou shook her head.

"Girls, girls, konbanwa!" He said with a smile and then stepped aside to allow them to see the two new girls. "These girls are auditioning tonight! Please be kind to them and help them when needed!"

"Haaaai!" They called in return.

"Now, girls," He said, addressing Kikyou and Kagome. "Get changed here and make it quick. We will be announcing you on stage soon for your audition. Who wants to go first?"

Kikyou immediately spoke up. "I will."

He nodded. "And your chosen stage name?"

"Miko will be fine." She responded and ignored the pointed look from Kagome.

"Alright, Miko," he said and then turned to look at Kagome. "And yours?"

"T-Tama," She felt that 'soul' was an appropriate name due to the fact that she felt as if she were selling her soul.

"Miko and Tama," He repeated. "Alright ladies, listen for your names!" He said with a wave before departing down the hall again.

As soon as he disappeared, the friendly looks from the other dancers slid off their faces like melted butter. They instantly sized them up, their eyes feeling as if they were piercing Kagome with spears of hate. She hunched her shoulders a bit and moved with Kikyou to the small space of counter that was available.

"Miko, Miko! Stand by!" A male voice boomed over the intercom.

It was really starting…

Kagome shifted uncomfortably as Kikyou began to remove her clothes without a second thought. She followed suit though, and removed her clothes as well. She didn't have anything _sexy_ per say, she had thrown all her lingerie out when her and Hojo had broken up, so she just decided on black booty shorts with a matching black bra. That wasn't too bad, was it?

Kagome looked back at Kikyou as she moved towards the curtain. She was wearing a bright red thong and bra set, the bra was lacy and barely covering any of her skin. If she looked close enough, she was sure she could see a nipple.

"Alright, folks! We have a special treat for you tonight! We have not one, but _two_ auditions tonight! Let's bring out our first one! Give it up for sexy, Mikooooo!"

Kikyou met Kagome's eyes for a brief moment before she took a deep breath, pushed aside the curtain, and stepped out onto the stage. Kagome hurriedly slipped on her plain, black heels, and moved to the curtain. She moved it aside just enough to watch her sister. She watched as she walked straight towards the front pole, grabbing it and giving a sexy twirl. Had Kikyou done something like this before?

Kagome frowned as she watched 'Miko's' performance, a few customers already coming up to her railing to get a better look. Her sister was naturally full of sex appeal. It was almost unfair how easily sexy came to her. She knew how to give sultry glances and how to sway her hips just the right way to entrance any man who watched her.

Why was _she_ so lacking in the field?

"Here we go, song number two! Let's see this new set of tatas!" The DJ called out and faded into Kikyou's second song.

The younger Higurashi blushed furiously and looked away as her sister began to unhook her bra in front of a man who had a fistful of money in his hand. She stepped away from the curtain and leaned back against the counter as she tried to take a few calming breaths. She raised a shaky hand to push a strand of hair behind her ear and licked her dry lips in anticipation.

"First time dancing?"

Kagome raised her eyes to see a girl with short black hair standing in front of her. "H-hai." She stammered out, looking down.

"Put some of this on, it'll draw the attention to your lips instead of your nervous eyes," She replied and handed her a small tube of lip gloss. "I'm Yura, by the way."

"Kag-Tama," She corrected and hesitantly grabbed the lip gloss. "Are you sure?"

"Oh, yes! Guys are drawn to things that are shiny. Especially the dragon youkai." She said with a nod.

"Arigato," She said softly and squeezed a little bit of the gloss onto her lips before smoothing it onto her lips. She rubbed her lips together for a moment before handing it back. "That was very nice of you."

The girl waved her hand in front of her face. "Oh, no! Don't think anything of it! I know how it is to be new! Glad I could help! Good luck!" She said with a wide smile and turned the corner to walk down the hallway.

Kagome smiled at the thought of these fellow dancers not being too mean, but when she looked around the dressing room, she caught hard, chocolate brown eyes that did not seem to approve of her. Frowning again, she looked away and stepped towards the curtain when the DJ called Miko off stage.

Kikyou walked past the curtain with a large smile on her face, yen in her hands as she walked over to their bags. She threw the money in her bag and began to re-hook her bra. Kagome was going to ask her how it was and how she felt, but couldn't as the DJ soon announced her next.

"Finishing up our set of auditions is the beautiful, Tama! Get up on that tip rail to check out the newbie!" He called.

Kagome frowned and clenched her hands as her nerves set in hard. Taking several deep breaths, she tried to calm her racing heart but with no avail. Shaking her head, she told herself she just had to get it over with. Swallowing the dry lump in her throat, she pushed aside the curtain and went to step onto the stage. Unfortunately for her clumsy tendencies, her heel caught the curtain and she stumbled onto the stage, but grabbed onto one of the back poles before she could fall.

Instantly, her face turned bright red and she managed to look up to see the strippers who were sitting with customers giggling at her expense, the customers smirking as well. She frowned and made her way towards the front pole on unsteady legs. Grasping it in her hands, she did an awkward spin and landed with her back to the crowd. Not knowing what to do, she swayed her hips and imagined she was at a nightclub in Tokyo. She lowered her hands on the pole and continued to sway her hips. She then bent her knees to drop down and straightened them to come back up.

She heard a holler to her right and glanced at her tip rail to see a guy sitting there, throwing yen on her stage. She walked around the pole until she was facing him and slowly lowered to her knees like she had seen her sister do. She gave him an embarrassed smile and silently thanked him.

He winked at her. "Hey, don't get discouraged! It's your first time!"

She blushed and nodded. "Arigato." She replied and then looked up when the DJ announced her second song.

"Second and final song for Tama! Let's help encourage her, gentlemen! Show her a little appreciation!"

She felt her heart hammer in her chest. This was when she was supposed to take off her top. She went down on her hands and knees and crawled away from the guy, not having the confidence to take off her bra in front of him. She unhooked her bra and glanced over her bare shoulder when she heard more shouting. She blinked when she saw that two more guys had sat down at her railing.

Holding her unhooked bra in place with one hand, she pulled herself back up onto her feet with the help of the pole and walked around it nervously. She couldn't let it go, she just couldn't!

"Come on, sweet cheeks!"

"Let's see 'em!"

"Don't be shy!"

Kagome glanced over at the first guy and saw he was smiling at her. He gave her a thumbs up and tossed more money on her stage. Very, very reluctantly, she slowly pulled her bra away from her chest and felt her skin flush red in embarrassment when she heard a series of shouts and calls from the men. She walked around the pole again, holding onto it with one hand before lowering to her knees again. She went to cover her chest with her arms, but that only riled them further.

What was wrong with men?

"Aaaand that wraps up Tama's set! Let's give her a round of applause for our audition!"

Kagome reached for her bra and hooked it back on before crawling around to collect her money off the floor. She felt pathetic as she did. She must look ridiculous! How disgraceful to have to show off your breasts for money and then look desperate as you crawl around to scrounge it up.

Once she had her money, she stood back up on wobbly legs and made her way back to the curtain. Once she stepped back inside, she threw the money in her bag and leaned against the counter, breathing heavily. Kikyou patted her on the shoulder and gave her a smile.

"That wasn't too bad, ne?" She asked.

Kagome glared at her. "Speak for yourself."

"Ladies!" Jakotsu called with a smile as he approached them. "Great job! You are hired! Please follow me to the office and we will get your paperwork started!"

Kikyou nodded and began to follow after him, still in her lingerie. Kagome paused her attempt to follow. "W-wait! Like this?" She asked, pointing down at her body.

Jakotsu raised a brow. "Did you bring another outfit?"

"Well, no, but-"

"_Tama_, this is what we wear around the club." Miko said with impatient eyes. "Let's go."

Kagome frowned and nodded, feeling very stupid. "Hai." She murmured and followed after them.


	5. The Catch

**Disclaimer: **All Inuyasha goodness belongs to the amazing Takahashi-san!

_**Behind the Curtain**_

_**By MissKatt**_

The Catch

"Alright ladies, good job for your first time." Bankotsu praised as they made their way into his office. When he saw Kagome's questioning look, he tapped his pen against the computer monitors next to him. "I saw you from the security cameras." He ushered for them to sit down in the velvet, plush chairs in front of his desk before he pulled out two packets of paper. "Now we will start with the contracts."

"Contracts?" Kagome asked, sitting down in the chair and looking over the first page of the contract as it was presented to her.

He nodded. "Just a formality saying you agree to our arrangement."

"Oh, I see…"

He leaned back in his chair and tapped his pen against the polished wood of his desk. "Now, as I mentioned at the hospital, I do not condone any unorthodox, promiscuous behavior. We are a strip club, not a whore house. You are not allowed to make any reference to sex at all, or hint to anyone that they will be getting any sexual favors for extra money. If you do, and I find out about it, you will be dealt with harshly. Do you understand?"

"Hai." They answered.

"Good, I don't expect to have any issues with two miko, but I have to tell everyone this."

"We understand." Kikyou replied.

He dipped his head in a nod once more. "Now, look through your contracts and I will answer any questions you may have."

Kikyou flipped through the pages, her brown eyes quickly skimming through the words there. "What is this part about the jewelry?" She placed her finger on the bullet, pointing to it for Bankotsu and Kagome to see.

Kagome leaned over to see what page her sister was on and flipped to the page. What Management is Entitled to: just the title of the page screamed doom to her once again. She began reading each word carefully, making sure she knew what she was getting herself into before she signed anything.

"Ah, well you see, I have to ensure my own protection; sort of make sure I'm not just _giving_ my money away. These trinkets, which ever you choose, shall be my security. It is to make sure you don't skip town after I have paid your debt."

"So they're tracking devices?" The elder sister asked, glaring up at him.

He shrugged. "As I said, it is to ensure I don't lose my money."

"Wait, what is this here?" Kagome asked, pointing to the line. "If it may occur, a third party may pay off the entertainer's debt," She read and looked up at him. "Someone can pay off our debt?"

Bankotsu sighed. "It is possible and it has happened once before, but I advise you to never bring your debt up to customers. Men take advantage of it."

The Higurashi sisters exchanged a glance before looking at the club owner once more. "What do you mean?"

"Before any debt is paid, the customer and I shall exchange words for a deal. They want to ensure that if they pay off your debt, that they will most definitely be getting something for it." He pressed his fingers together in a steeple as he stared at them. "He is pretty much buying the girl."

"Don't the girls have a say in it?" Kikyou asked.

"Not really. A deal is a deal." Bankotsu shrugged. "It's all business, ladies."

"That's disgusting." Kagome spat, clenching the pen in her hand.

His blue eyes met hers. "Then I suggest you keep your debt a strict secret. Also, that reminds me of something else to keep a secret: your real name. It's for your own protection to not give out your real name. You don't want some guy to stalk you outside of here."

Kikyou nodded in understanding and then continued to read over the page of what the club gets. "Explain to me section five, please. I want to hear it in your words as well so that there is no confusion in the future."

A smirk crossed Bankotu's face; this is where his debt girls made their biggest mistake. This is what trapped the girls at Shikon for longer than they needed. "It states that with all the money you make, you don't have to give it all to the club."

Kagome tilted her head to the side. "What do you mean? Aren't we working here to pay off our debt?"

"Indeed you are, but we understand that sometimes things happen and you may need money for other things. We aren't cruel to demand all of your profit; we just require you give us _something_ at the end of the week." He replied, smiling. Most of the girls who were there for their debts grew so greedy with the new amount of income they were getting that they would only give about twenty percent of what they would make to the club.

Kikyou nodded. "I see. That is interesting." She mummed to herself and then clicked her pen so that the ink tip was out. She then moved to the last page and began to sign her name.

"Please sign your stage name as well and date it." Bankotsu said with a smile and then looked at the frozen Kagome. "Is something wrong, Tama? Did you change your mind?"

Kikyou finished signing her paperwork and looked over at her hesitant sister. She put her hand on her shoulder. "You've already come this far, Tama. You can do it."

Kagome looked at her sister and frowned slightly. How was this so easy for her? She felt as if she was going to become someone's _thing_. She could be sold to another and was going to have a tracking device. How was this humane? She looked back down at the line and chewed on the inside of her lip. Well, as long as she didn't talk about her debt and paid Bankotsu regularly she would be fine, right?

Taking a deep breath, she lowered her shaking hand to the paper and signed her name, stage name, and dated it. She set down the pen and felt her stomach sink in dread. She seriously hoped she didn't just sign her life away to the devil himself.

"Very good," He collected their contracts and filed them away in his filing cabinet. "Now, we will go over your apparel," He looked them up and down and pursed his lips together. "Miko, what you are wearing is great; it definitely looks good against your pale skin. Tama, there is something about what you're wearing that works for you. You have an innocent look and this helps. However, I would suggest getting smaller booty shorts. You'll see a few girls out there with them. It's just so that it reveals more of your ass."

She looked down and blushed before nodding. "Okay."

"Now, for your heels." He pulled out a chart of the different heels that showed the heights and handed it to them. "The house mom made this for the new dancers because they started getting crazy with the height of their heels. Stilettos that we allow range from five to eight inches. It goes by the heel, not the base. When you're starting, you should start off with the smaller heels."

"And if we want larger ones?" Kikyou asked, looking at the eight inches.

He shrugged. "If you twist your ankle and fall, that is your own fault. We offer no medical insurance here. Also, we want our girls to look professional, so if you're walking around like a new born calf, it will look stupid and thus make us look bad. So make sure you master them first."

Kagome nodded in understanding, though even the five inch heels looked deadly. "Where can we get these?" She asked, looking up at him.

"The house mom has a few pairs of shoes that are available for sale. She always keeps a few pairs of five inches for the new girls." He said and then put the chart away.

"You mentioned this _house mom_ before. Who is she?" Miko questioned.

"Ah, the house mom is a woman who takes care of the dancers here. She has everything you need from Band-Aids and aspirin to feminine needs and Super Glue." He answered. "You will find her in the front dressing room. By the way, I believe you guys were put in the back dressing room, correct?" When they nodded, he pulled the top drawer of his desk out and reached in to pull out two locks. "You may choose the locker of your choice and it will be yours. Dancers usually keep spare outfits and their shoes in there so they don't have to lug them back and forth from home to here."

The younger Higurashi nodded as she took the lock in her hands. "How long are our shifts typically?"

"Whenever you arrive you must work a minimum of five hours, but can stay however long you wish after that." He replied. "Is there anything else you wish to know?"

"How do we learn to dance better? Learn tricks? Can we practice somewhere?" Kikyou asked.

The owner nodded. "When the Champagne Suite is not being used, you may go in there to practice. If you find a girl nice enough, they may offer to teach you or you can ask. Anything else?" When they shook their heads, he pulled a small box out from the bottom drawer of his desk. "Then it's time for you to pick your jewelry."

Kikyou leaned forward when he opened the box and looked at the options. There were bracelets, earrings, necklaces, and anklets, all the same soft hue of pink. "I will take the earrings, I suppose." She said, reaching forward to grab the two studs. She undid the backs and slid them into the holes in her ears. She felt them warm slightly as she clicked the backs into place.

Kagome chose the anklet and looped the chain around her ankle before clasping it shut. She also felt it warm against her skin, but figured it was activating itself or something. "So, now what?" She asked.

Bankotsu stood and ushered them towards the door. "Now you work your first shift. Get your shoes from the house mom first, she will loan them to you until you get the money to pay for them, and then you will get on the floor. Good luck, ladies." He winked at them before closing the door shut behind them.

Kagome glanced at her sister before following her to the front dressing room. As soon as they pushed the curtain aside, she could feel the intense stares from the other strippers. They paused their talking and stilled their makeup brushes as they made their way across the dressing room and to the small office in the back. She had the distinct feeling that these youkai dancers weren't too keen on having miko ones.

"Ah! Welcome to Shikon, ladies!" The house mom said, rising to her feet as they entered her office.

Tama smiled at her at her warm greeting and instantly bent into a bow when she did. "Konbanwa. I am Kag- Tama. Sorry, my name is Tama." She greeted.

Kikyou bowed as well. "I am Miko," She introduced and turned her head sharply to the side to cast a glance over her shoulder as a girl snickered. "Is that a problem with you?"

The girl blinked her crimson eyes at the human before scoffing and turning back to the mirror in front of her, murmuring things about arrogant humans.

"It is nice to meet you, Miko and Tama. I am Izayoi," She replied with a smile and turned from them to shuffle through the closet space at the back of her office. "What sizes are you?" She called.

"Tama is a six and a half, I'm an eight." Kikyou replied, her eye still on the youkai dancer.

Kagome took the pair of heels in her hands when they were handed at her and couldn't help but stare at Izayoi's beauty. Her long hair was tied into a low ponytail, the dark brown color a stark contrast to the cream colored blouse she wore. "Izayoi-san, if you don't mind me asking, how did you become a house mom here?"

Izayoi smiled sweetly and sat down in her office chair as they sat down to put their heels on. "Ah, I used to work here when I was younger. I ended up marrying my love and got out of the business as he was quite the jealous type." She giggled behind her hand. "When my son grew up and moved out, I grew tired of just being a housewife and being home alone when my husband was at work. So I decided to start working again and ended up running into Bankotsu at the mall. And, well, here I am!" When she saw Tama blink and blushed. "Oh, sorry, I suppose that was much more than you really asked."

Kagome shook her head. "No, no, it's fine." She quickly went over the information Izayoi gave her and titled her head when she realized she had said that she used to work there and yet had a son that was old enough to move out. But, she didn't look a day over twenty-five! "Pardon my rudeness, Izayoi-san, but, did you say you had a son who moved out?"

Catching on to her thinking, she let a sly smile cross her lips. "Yes, he is twenty-two." She replied. "I had him when I was twenty-four."

Kikyou raised a brow. "You don't look forty."

Izayoi pressed her finger to the black ear piece on her right ear and nodded. She then winked at them after hearing Bankotsu's order. "Don't think too much into it. Now," She rose to her feet once more. "I believe that is enough small talk for tonight. It's time for you guys to report to the DJ and get your music preferences sorted out. Just exit the dressing room and go back straight to the left. Go up the two stairs to the red VIP booths and he will be on the left."

The Higurashi sisters bowed before leaving the office and dressing room. Once again, Kagome followed Kikyou around the club. They climbed the stairs, her legs already protesting the traps on her feet, and moved to the back of the VIP area were the wall was slightly open on the left.

The DJ glanced at them with his violet colored eyes and moved his headphones to his neck. "Ah! Tama and Miko, right?" He asked with a grin. When they nodded, he continued. "I'm Miroku, the head DJ here. What do you guys like to dance to?"

Tama pursed her lips together. "I like anything, really."

"And I prefer hip-hop." Kikyou added.

He nodded and typed it into the computer. "Alright, you sexy ladies are all set. I'll be picking your sets, so just listen for your name over the system to know when you're back up on stage!" With that, he moved his headphones back on and began speaking into the microphone, announcing the next girl on stage.

Kagome and Kikyou walked back towards the front dressing room and lingered around the roped off dance area. They settled in an awkward silence as they both tried to decide what to do or say.

"Well, I'm going to try and get some dances, I suppose." Miko spoke up and gave her sister a small smile before walking off to the sitting area.

Kagome watched her go and nibbled on her bottom lip. She could do it too. That's what they were there for, right? To make money? To pay off their debt? With a sigh, she straightened up and glanced over the crowd. She blinked when she saw someone walking towards her and it wasn't until they were closer that she noticed it was the guy who was cheering her on at her tip rail.

"Hey, it's Tama, right?" He asked with a smile.

"H-hai, thank you for my tips." She answered shyly.

"No problem, you did a great job for your audition," He praised. "I'm Kouga by the way."

"It's nice to meet you Kouga." She smiled a little, realizing this wasn't as bad as she thought.

"So, do you think I can get a dance?"

She looked down nervously. "I've never given one, so I don't know how good it would be."

He laughed and put his arm around her shoulders. "I'll give you pointers."

Kagome frowned and allowed him to take her to the back. This was going to be a long a night.


	6. The First Help

**Disclaimer: **All Inuyasha goodness belongs to the amazing Takahashi-san! The OC Nuru and all her background information belongs to Jelly!

_**Behind the Curtain**_

_**By MissKatt**_

The First Help

**A/N: Hey everyone! I need to put this Author's Note in the beginning just for this chapter because my lovely reader Jelly on Dokuga found the self-made typo in the story. If you remember correctly, in chapter four, 'The Audition', I referenced that Kagome did not have any sexy lingerie because she threw them out after she dated Hojo. But, in the last chapter, I said that the customer at her tip rail was named Hojo (it is now changed back to Kouga). Jelly is the only person who caught this :) So, as a reward I am featuring her OC (original character) Nuru in this chapter! See, it pays to read carefully ;)**

**-MissKatt**

Kagome bit down on her bottom lip as she followed Kouga to the back room. She looked at the rows of velvet walls and the cushioned, small chair that rested in between them. She trailed after him as he turned into the second row and chose the one at the end. He sat down on the plush chair between the four foot gap of velvet walls and looked at her with a small smirk.

"Don't be nervous," He said and then looked down at her feet. "A lot of girls take off their heels so it's easier to dance. You don't have to, but it just a suggestion."

She looked at her feet and thought it over for a moment. "I think I'd rather keep them on," She decided and then took a step towards him before pausing. She flushed with embarrassment.

Seeing her embarrassed look, he grasped her hand and pulled her towards him, earning him a surprised squeak. Her free hand shot out past his head to brace herself against the wall, her chest almost in his face. "Let me give you a lesson," He said softly, looking up at her. He released her hand and let his hands trail to her hips. "Bring up your legs."

She blushed and bent up her legs, straddling his waist. She then stiffened when he ran his calloused hands down her back. "I-I'm not sure what to do." She murmured.

He let out a laugh. "You're an innocent one," He said, looking up at her with a grin. "But I like that." He gently grasped her wrist and put his to his cheek, his cobalt blue eyes mischievous.

Tama blinked. "What are you doing?"

"Lesson number one, know your client," He said and lightly ran his claws down her arms. "There are a lot of youkai that come in here. You're a human so they will either find interest in you or hate you completely. So, based on what other girls have told me, every youkai species likes different things."

She furrowed her brow. "What do you mean?"

"I am an ookami. Ookamiyoukai and Inuyoukai respond very well to touch. When giving a dance, if you're facing forward, run your hands down their arms, chest, back, and hair. Also, this is completely up to you, but a few gentle bites can go a long way; it's almost like a challenge to us." Kouga answered. "Then, I would suggest turning around. We find the curve of a woman very sexy. Plus, we're canines, where do you think the term 'doggy-style' came from?"

Kagome flushed at his smirk, but knew what he was saying made sense. She wasn't sure about the biting thing, but she could turn around. So she removed herself from his lap to turn around. She then slowly lowered herself back into his lap and pursed her lips. She felt his hands go to her hips, encouraging her to move them. She listened and rotated her hips in a circle in his lap. She heard his exhale and gave a small smile.

This wasn't so bad.

She moved her hips again in a figure eight before moving them forward and back again. She felt his grip on her hips tighten slightly and she wondered if it was good or bad. His hands moved to her shoulders and gently pulled her back so her back was against his chest, her head on his shoulder. She stiffened, but relaxed a little when she realized he wasn't actually trying anything.

Tama heard the song end and remembered what Jankotsu told her. Each song was considered a dance and that it was proper etiquette to ask them if they would like more before continuing. She stopped and sat up. She twisted her body to look at him from over her shoulder.

"Did you want any more?" She asked.

He shook his head, his thick black ponytail swaying. "No, I'm alright for now. You've gotten me a little worked up." He waited until she got off of him and stood up. "You learn fast, Tama. I think you'll do fine here. You just have to gain your confidence."

She gave him a small smile. "Thanks. But, it's all thanks to your teachings. Is there anything else you can help me with? Like, with the other species?" She flushed and looked down. "I mean, you don't have to, but I'm just so new…"

He hooked his finger under her chin and tilted her head up to give her a crooked smile. "I will help you. You can say you officially have a customer. And seriously, have confidence in your body. Your ass does wonders." He gave her a wink and handed her a hundred dollars*.

She blinked down at it. "W-wait! Kouga-san, this is way too much!" She said as he started walking away.

He waved at her over his shoulder. "Think of it as a tip."

She watched him disappear from the dance area and gave a small smile. If all customers were like him, she didn't think it would be as bad to work there. She stuffed the hundred in her bra and left the dance area, heading to the back dressing room. She was almost there when she saw a curvy woman in tall stilettos disappear into the Champagne Suite by herself, her silky black hair swaying behind her as she stepped through the curtain and down the two-stairs.

Curious, the miko made her way over to the curtained room. She peeked through the crack of the curtain and peered inside. It was a small room that was richly decorated in red and black. A fire place was built into the right wall, a large mirror above it. Along the back wall, a long red sofa rested against it, facing the stage in the right bottom corner next to the fireplace. Two dance booths were against the left wall and two tables were in the middle of the room.

Sticking her head in a little more, she watched as the graceful woman tied her hair into a thick braid, humming a soft tune as she did. In the brighter light of the VIP room, she could see the caramel skin of the woman and the black, circular markings that adorned her thighs, shoulders, and face, as well a few other parts along her body.

Tama blinked as she removed her heels, instantly dropping down to closer to her own height of 5'6". She then twirled around the pole effortlessly, her bare feet carrying her around the small stage as if she were as light as a feather. Her mouth fell open in awe as she lifted herself up with the pole and flipped upside down, her legs and ankles hooking onto the top of the pole while the rest of her body hung from it. She tastefully ran her hands down her body, her face holding a small, peaceful yet enticing smile, before she grasped the pole once again and dropped her legs towards her head, her hands only supporting her on the pole.

"Wow! That was awesome!" Kagome said when she lowered her body back to the floor. She paled and looked down when the girl glanced towards her curiously, her head tilting. "I-I'm sorry, I didn't mean to intrude."

The girl smiled. "It is no problem; I'm not offended." She replied and then beckoned her in. "If you are curious, please, come in."

She smiled and walked into the room, making her way to the stage. "I'm Tama," She introduced. "How long did it take you to learn that?"

"I am Nuru," She responded with a kind smile. "And this didn't take long at all. Would you like me to show you?"

Kagome blinked before waving her hands in front of her face. "No, no, no! I couldn't! I would break my neck!"

The woman let out a soft laugh, blue-violet eyes twinkling with humor. "No, you won't. I will spot you. It's really not as hard as it looks. There is a trick to every trick." She winked and then ushered for her to join her on stage. "Just take off your heels so you don't twist your ankle."

She hesitated for a moment before slipping off her heels and joining her on stage. "Ohh, I can't believe I'm doing this!" She panicked, looking at the pole as if it were a starved lion looking for a meal.

Nuru smiled at her. "Don't worry, everyone has to start learning somewhere," She began, scooting her over so that she stood on the left side of the pole. "Now, grab the pole shoulder height." When Tama did as told, she continued. "Now, I want you to kick up with all your might to try and put your left ankle on the pole. The trick to getting your foot up there is to look back as you do it. Your body will automatically tilt back more, making it easier to reach your goal."

Kagome furrowed her brow for a moment before she did as told. However, she didn't look back and barely got her foot close to the pole before she flopped back down, gripping the pole for life. "I don't think I can do it. I'm not that flexible."

"You don't have to be, Tama. Do it again. Look back and you will get it." She reassured.

She tried two more times before she actually looked back on the third, her ankle hooking onto the pole. She looked up at her foot and smiled triumphantly. "I made it!"

"Great! Now, use your right ankle to trap the pole between your ankles," She explained and grabbed her right foot for her, placing it behind the left ankle on the pole. "Like this. See how the pole is now trapped between your ankles, knees, and thighs? That is what holds you when you let go."

Her eyes widened a bit. "You want me to let go?"

"But of course. That is the pole trick. It's called a Basic Invert, or a Falling Angel. It depends on who you talk to." She said with a shrug. "Don't worry; I'll catch you if you fall."

Kagome took in a deep breath before slowly removing her hands. She closed her eyes tightly, thinking she would plummet to the floor, but blinked them back open when she realized she hadn't budged on the pole. "Kami-sama! I'm doing it!" She cheered, pulling her arms to her chest.

Nuru clapped her hands together. "I told you that you can do it!"

She nodded happily before frowning. "Wait, how do I get down?"

"Slowly loosen your legs just a fraction until you feel yourself sliding down. Wait! Not like that!" Nuru reached forward and grabbed the new dancer as she fell from the pole, protecting her from breaking her neck. The two flopped to the floor and remained quiet for a moment before breaking into a small fit of laughter.

"I'm sorry," Kagome said, removing herself from her mentor to sit next to her on the stage. "But, really, thank you so much for teaching me something. I'll have to practice it more before I do it on the main stage though."

Nuru smiled, fixing the pendant on her neck before pulling her braid over her shoulder. "Of course, love, I don't mind helping you. I can tell you are not like the others. In fact, you are much like me; you don't want to be here. Let me guess, settling a debt with Bakotsu-sama?"

Her sapphire orbs looked at the beautiful woman in front of her curiously. "How did you know?"

"Your aura. I am a jackal youkai from Egypt. I am greatly synced with people's feelings." She smiled at the sudden sadness and regret in her aura. "Do not be ashamed, Tama. We are doing what we have to for those we love."

"How do you know I am doing it for a loved one?"

"You are a kind soul; one who would never do something like this unless needed. You and I are very much alike, despite our beings being such polar opposites, Miss miko." Nuru answered with a knowing smile.

"If you don't mind me asking, what are you here for?" She then flushed and put her hands up. "I'm sorry! You don't have to answer! That was so rude of me!"

Again, the jackal smiled kindly. "I am here for my twin brother. He got into trouble with…well, let's just say with the wrong people. He acquired a debt while gambling with these people and he can't pay it off on his own. But, I only did this because he assured me he has learned his lesson and is done with his addiction. He even got a job to help pay for his half."

Her lips parted in surprise. "What a great sister," She commented. "He is very lucky to have you, Nuru-san."

She smiled sadly. "We are almost done paying off our debt and I can't wait until it's done with so we can go back to Egypt. It seems like decades since we have been there." She breathed, her voice tinged with reminiscence.

"You mentioned you were from there. What brought you two to Japan?" She asked curiously.

"Oh, our father is a wealthy merchant who traveled all over the world. My mother passed when we were young so he had to take us with him. We settled in Japan for a while and when we were old enough, our father left us a reasonable inheritance so he could go back to his traveling. However, that is where my twin got his gambling money from." She sighed and then shrugged as she played with her pendant again. "Oh well, it is in the past now. All we can look forward to is the future."

She felt for her new friend. While there were slight differences, they were both there for their brother's debt. She felt almost connected to Nuru and it made her feel much more appeased to be there. Her eyes fell on her necklace. "I like your pendant. Is it Egyptian?"

She nodded. "Yes, it is Ankh. It is the symbol of eternal life. I wear it to remind myself of my heritage and what is awaiting me back in Egypt." She let the pendant fall back into place and then looked at Tama. "What about you, Tama-san? What brings you to Shikon?"

She looked down. "My brother has leukemia. Our insurance stopped paying for his treatments and the hospital didn't tell us for a month so the debt had already grown significantly. But, either way, I can't stop the treatments. I can't just give up on him."

"I see. I admire your courage to come here and pay for his debt despite your holy nature. I know you take a great risk in doing this." Nuru replied and placed her hand on Tama's head after she heard Miroku announce that she was next on stage. "May Apis grant you his strength now and in the darkest of times."

Even though she knew it was Kami from the Egyptian culture, she still greatly appreciated the blessing. "Arigato, Nuru-san."

"You are very welcome." Nuru gave her another smile before slipping on her heels and leaving the room.

Kagome followed her suit, putting on her heels and leaving the room. She headed towards the dressing room again and put her money in her bag. She then jumped slightly when she felt someone tap her on her shoulder. Turning around, she saw Yura smiling at her.

"How is your first night so far?" She asked.

"Oh, it's going okay. Everyone seems nice enough so far." She replied and blinked when the dancer held up a tube of lip gloss.

"Here! I found a spare that I haven't even opened yet! You can have it, dear." She said, smiling almost too wide.

"Oh, well, arigato." She thanked her and took the small tube from her.

"Of course!" She said and waved before heading down the hall to exit the dressing room, leaving her alone with the girl who had glared at her earlier. Kagome quickly turned towards the mirror and opened the cap of the lip gloss.

"Don't put that shit on."

She paused and looked in the mirror at the brown haired woman who sat at the end of the counter, reading a book. "Pardon?" She asked.

"You are too easy to trust people. Yura is trying to ruin your money by having you wear that stuff." She replied, glaring over the top of her book.

"Why do you say that?"

She rolled her eyes. "You have blue eyes. Even you must know that is rare for a human in Japan. She's making you wear that shiny stuff on your lips to distract the customers from your eyes. Plus, she knows you're a miko. Customers are going to want you and she knows it so she's trying to ruin that for you."

Kagome put down the lip gloss and frowned down at it. Was that really Yura's intention? Why would someone so that? Just to better their chances at money? Were people here so petty? She looked at the girl again. "Thank you for telling me." She said softly.

"Taijiya, stand by!" Miroku announced.

The girl stood from her chair, her eight-inch heels making her tower over Tama as she walked past her. She wore a black and pink bathing suit top and the tiny booty shorts Bankotsu had mentioned. "Don't thank me. Just keep in mind where exactly you are at." She murmured as she walked on stage.

Kagome watched her go with a frown. She would definitely keep that in mind.

**A/N: As to the *, it is SO much easier for me to just use American dollars. Sorry, I'm getting lazy :) Also, congratulations again to Jelly for finding the blooper! **

**-MissKatt**


	7. The Warning

**Disclaimer: **All Inuyasha goodness belongs to the amazing Takahashi-san!

_**Behind the Curtain**_

_**By MissKatt**_

The Warning

The vice-president of Taisho Corp made a straight line towards the polished oak doors of his office. He did not spare a glance to his little half-brother as he fell in step next to him. He was not in the mood to listen to his ramblings nor his attempt to somewhat understand his own position and what they did at Taisho Corp. Inuyasha barely understood anything about the company and simply made his secretary do everything.

"Oi, Sessh!" He snapped, waving papers in his hand. "What is this about?"

His eyes fluttered with irritation. "Did you ask your secretary about it?"

"What? No. Why don't you just tell me now?" He asked, following him into the office.

"Because I do not have the patience to deal with your stupidity, half-breed." He responded, sipping his green tea from his thermos. "Ask her, for I am sure she paid attention in the meeting and was not on her phone unlike someone."

His ears twitched. "Just tell me!" He snapped, slamming his fist on the table.

Amber eyes flickered to matching ones. "Temper, mutt, temper," he scolded, and then took in his appearance. "Would it honestly harm you to wear a tie once in a while?"

Inuyasha huffed and stood up straight while running his hands down the wrinkled white t-shirt under his suit jacket. "Why does it matter what I wear? It's not like it really matters, it's just work."

Sesshoumaru's eyes narrowed. "This 'work' is our family corporation. Our appearance is its appearance so I suggest you dress appropriately."

"Whatever," He sighed. The two basked in an uncomfortable silence until he broke it. "So, how was the meeting with the doctor?"

His hand tightened around his thermos before he set it down on his desk with a loud bang. "Sometimes I believe these doctors do not know what they are doing."

Inuyasha leaned against the side of the desk. "Is it getting worse?"

"No," He replied and leaned back against his chair. "But it isn't going away either."

"I see," He really didn't know what to say in these kinds of situations. "Did they move her from that other room you were telling me about?"

Sesshoumaru nodded once. "Yes, but I'm not sure if it is much better. Rin needs to be resting, not running around with her roommate."

He shrugged. "She's still a kid."

"She is very ill."

"So? That just makes her a sick kid. What if she doesn't beat it? Do you really want her to live out her last days in a hospital bed?" He loved his niece, had ever since his brother's wife brought her home as a baby, but he knew how cancer was on humans.

"She will make it." He growled and then turned his attention to his computer. "Now, leave, I have work to do."

Inuyasha waved his hand. "Yeah, yeah, whatever." He turned to leave, but stopped as his father walked in.

"I am glad I caught the two of you together," Touga said with a pleased smile. "I have good news about the merging proposal!"

The hanyou son tilted his head. "Merging proposal?" He asked and then looked down at the papers in his hands. He waved them a little as he spoke, "Is that what this is about?"

Touga frowned at him. "You really need to start paying attention in meetings, Inuyasha."

"Why is everyone telling me that?" He growled and then crossed his arms over his chest again. "I pay attention."

"If you did, then you would know that Kumo Industries and Taisho Corporations have been going under negotiations for a merging of the two." Sesshoumaru pointed out with a bitter tone.

"Wait, what? You want to merge with another company, pops?" He asked incredulously.

The company founder tsk'ed. "Not exactly, but Kumo Naraku has been sending me some pretty substantial offers. They are hard to say no to."

"I am against it," The elder son commented. "We are the superior company."

"Yes, but they are rising to be our equal very soon. Will it really be wise to have them as an opponent?" Touga asked.

_"We_ fall if _they_ do." He added, eyes narrowed.

The owner held up his hands. "I did not say it is official; only that I had good news, he has finally agreed to meet with us in person."

"Why is that a good thing?" Inuyasha asked.

"Because now I can read his body language and detect any lies he may be speaking. If this merge were to go through, I want to make sure he has no ulterior motives than to simply be the best company in Japan as a whole." He answered.

"Oh," The hanyou raised a brow. "So, where are you meeting him?"

"We," He corrected. "Are meeting him at your mother's work."

His ears perked up at the mention of Shikon. "The strip club?" He grinned. "I haven't been there in a while."

Sesshoumaru's brow twitched slightly. "And whose idea was that?"

"Well, we suggested a public place and he was only available at night. As I was talking on the phone with him, your mother texted me and I immediately thought of Shikon; it just sounded like a good idea. Kumo agreed." He took in the displeased look of his eldest. "Is there an issue, Sesshoumaru?"

"Indeed," He agreed and leaned back in his chair. "I will not be accompanying you."

"Aww, why not, Sesshoumaru? Scared of a couple half-naked girls?" Inuyasha teased.

"Watch your tongue before I rip it out, half-breed," His amber eyes flashed dangerously. "It is a dirty place. The stench of arousal, sweat, alcohol, and drugs topped with the deafening music is enough to make me want to burn the place down."

Inuyasha rolled his eyes. "You need to learn to enjoy yourself. You haven't had any fun since Rin was admitted in the hospital. Hell, you probably haven't even been with a girl since Kagura died."

The mentioning of his ex-wife, _deceased_ wife, and sick daughter poked at his beast. "Watch yourself, Inuyasha."

Touga let out a soft growl. "Enough, Sesshoumaru. He's right; you need to get out. Plus, as vice-president, you will need to be there for the negotiations. So I expect you to be there exactly thirty days from today at 9pm sharp."

"Why thirty?" Inuyasha asked.

He gave a single shrug of his shoulder. "That was the only time he was available."

*~~~BTC~~~*

Kagome groaned as she came to. She glanced over at her clock as it screamed at her to wake up and begin to get ready for the day. She turned it off and sat up with much reluctance as stretched her arms above her. She winced as she felt her body protest loudly. She stood from her bed and almost fell to the floor when her knees buckled.

She couldn't believe how sore she was.

She eyed the bag on her desk and pursed her lips together when she realized she didn't count what she made last night. She had been way too tired at the end of the night to even care about the amount of money she had made. She just wanted to get home and pass out.

She pulled out her chair and sat down before unzipping her bag. She pulled out all the money she found, including the crumbled up dollars in the deep corners of her bag. She silently counted out the money and frowned at the amount. Two hundred and forty-eight dollars. That wasn't even close to what Bankotsu said they would make.

She folded the money and put it in the bottom drawer of her desk before standing on shaky legs and going over to her closet. She dressed in a pair of black slacks with a short sleeve white shirt and went to her bathroom to apply a small amount of makeup. She then grabbed her school bag and train pass. She was slightly thankful for not attending a private college. Not only did it save her money, but it also gave her free rein to wear what she wanted.

As she entered the kitchen, she saw Kikyou pouring herself a cup of coffee to start her day. "I don't know about you, but I'm sore." She mused, rummaging through the cupboards for a breakfast bar.

The older miko nodded. "Yeah, I am. I took a hot bath this morning and it helped some. What did you make last night?"

"Two hundred and forty-eight dollars," She frowned and grabbed her thermos. She poured in her green tea and thanked her sister for making it for her. "You?"

"You're welcome," She commented. "I left with four hundred and twenty."

Kagome nearly sputtered out her tea. "What? How?! Why did I do so poorly?"

She shrugged. "I got used to it. I think you still are. You need to get over what we are doing and just focus on making money. Don't let your brain mess with you."

She nodded mutely. "Yeah, I guess. Oh, I'm going to be home late. I have to go to Koi Springs because I got that apartment."

Kikyou would have been happy for her sister if not for the circumstances. "Do you really think it's a good idea to move that far away? Now you are almost forty-five minutes away from Shikon and Souta."

"I know," She sighed. "I tried to get out of it. They said there was no way because they took out the money already and that it was on my credit."

"That's not true, Kagome. Usually if you pay the rent twice, you can break your lease." She replied.

"Do you have twenty-six hundred dollars I could borrow?" Kagome asked with forced humor.

"Well, work every night and you should have it soon." She moved past her sister and patted her shoulder before walking towards the door. "Have a good day at class!" She called as she left.

The middle Higurashi checked the time and sighed before leaving the house as well to head to college. She had about five more weeks until summer vacation and then she could really focus on working both of her jobs. She would work at her reception job during the day and at Shikon at night. She just hoped she wouldn't completely exhaust herself.

As she stood on the train, she frowned as she realized she was going to be a few minutes late to class. Apparently the trains had fallen slightly behind today.

'_Of course,_' She thought with a sigh and shook her head. She looked up as someone grabbed the handle next to her and blinked twice as she realized who it was. "T-Taijiya!"

The brown haired girl turned towards her with a glare. "Don't call me that in public." She snapped in a hushed voice.

She flushed. "Oh, gomen, I wasn't thinking," She apologized. "But, I don't really know you're real name."

Chocolate brown eyes looked away from her. "It's Kigo Sango."

"Nice to meet you, Sango-san. I'm Higurashi Kagome!" She introduced with a smile and gave the best bow she could without toppling over with the train moving.

"Mhm," She replied.

Kagome's smile faltered at her nonchalant response. "Erm, so, I haven't ever seen you on this train before and I take it every morning. Are you going anywhere special that might take you this way?"

"I'm meeting someone downtown."

"Oh, how nice. What are you guys going to do? I'm headed to class myself. So, how long have you been _there_?" She asked, trying not to expose what they did to everyone around them. "Was it really hard at first? Were girls mean to you? How long did it take you to learn _moves_? Did you have help? Did someone teach you? How often do you work? What brought you there?"

Her hands tightened in fists. "Listen, _Kagome_," Sango began, turning towards her with steel eyes. "I do not make friends with my co-workers, so this little small talk is not going to get you anywhere. If you have questions, ask someone else."

Kagome blinked at the rude brush off and frowned. "Why not?" She asked anyways, despite what she said. "I'm not trying to get anywhere with you. I'm just trying to talk to you and get to know you."

"I don't make friends with the people we work with because all they will do is stab you in the back. Even your sister will, just watch and see. If you were smart, you would stick to yourself and look out for you and you alone."

Her cold tone made her believe that she was probably speaking from experience. "I see. Well, I'm sorry you think that, Sango-san, but my sister would never do that to me."

Sango snorted. "Just do yourself a favor and don't tell people, especially your sister, what you make."

The miko was going to say something else, but shut her mouth as Sango walked briskly away from her. She watched her move to the doors and step out at her exit. She watched her through the windows as the train began to move. Sapphire eyes widened slightly when she saw her fellow dancer embrace their eagerly awaiting DJ.

**A/N: I know Sango seems mean, but I promise that she will come around (: Also, updates will be sporadic. As I mentioned in my other fanfic, _The Sword Smith's Secret_, I started summer school for college once again so I will be swamped 'till August. I just can't find a lot of time to write with work AND school every day. -_- Kill me now! XD**


	8. The Memories

**Disclaimer: **All Inuyasha goodness belongs to the amazing Takahashi-san!

_**Behind the Curtain**_

_**By MissKatt**_

The Memories

Kagome groaned as she sat on her bed in her new apartment, rubbing lotion on her bruised legs. Last night, Taijiya had been brutal on her when teaching her pole tricks. She had bumped her shins against the pole when trying to climb it and teaching her the Butterfly, and her knees were purple from learning ground moves. She still felt embarrassed to 'pop' her booty and shake it, but Taijiya had insisted that she had the butt for it.

She smiled a little as she thought back on what had finally made her and Taijiya 'friends'. The night after she saw her co-worker on the train had been hell. When she had showed up for work and walked to the dressing room to get ready, Taijiya had pounced on her, grabbing a fist full of her shirt before slamming her back into the locker and screaming accusations at her.

_"You! You did this! You just couldn't mind your own _fucking_ business!" She screamed._

_Kagome blinked, trying to register what had just happened. "W-what are you talking about?" She asked, eyes wide. Why was this girl attacking her?!_

_Kikyou stepped forward and put her hand on her shoulder. "Release my sister, Taijiya, or I will make you."_

_"I dare you to try," She snapped before turning her seething chocolate eyes on Tama. "Just answer me one thing, Tama, why? Is it because I told you I didn't want to be your little friend? Because you knew I was better than you? Or were you just jealous because you wanted him for yourself?"_

_"I-I don't know what you're talking about, Taijiya. What did I supposedly do?" She really was clueless as to what she did! She just saw her yesterday! Heck, she hadn't even been at work since her first day!_

_"Don't play stupid," She spat with venom. "You told Bankotsu about me and Miroku."_

_She blinked once, then twice. "What?! No! I swear I didn't!"_

_"Are you going to deny that you saw us together?"_

_"Well, no, I did, but-"_

_"You're the only one! It was you!"_

_"No! It wasn't! You have to believe me, Taijiya!" She pleaded._

_She snorted and released her as Kikyou's hand tightened on her shoulder. "I don't believe anything you say. I knew you were stupid when you first walked in here, but now I know just how stupid you really are." She turned sharply from her and stormed out of the dressing room, leaving a silent dressing room. _

During the next five nights, Taijiya had acted as if she didn't exist. There was a handful of times that she purposefully bumped into her chair while she was doing her makeup, making her have to clean it up and redo it, or the few times when she had sat down with a customer right when she was about to, but other than that, she had pretty much ignored her presence. Well, until that night one of the Thunder brothers came in and caused a scene.

_"What's wrong?"_

_Tama blinked and tore her eyes away from the stage where Taijiya was getting off, the bouncer helping her carry her tips off stage. She gave Kouga a small smile. "Oh, nothing, I was just thinking."_

_The wolf lifted his brow. "I haven't seen anyone think with that kind of saddened expression." _

_She sighed. "I just wish I could make her understand that I wasn't the one who told. It wasn't my doing."_

_He shrugged. "The truth will come out soon enough, Tama. Obviously someone told and they will be found out. Just let fate take its course."_

_She smiled at him. "Thanks for that, Kouga-san," She gave an embarrassed blush and looked down at her lap. "Well, umm, would you like a-a…dance? I think I'm getting better."_

_Kouga looked at her pretty face and grinned at her shyness. "I've been waiting for you to ask," He said as he pushed back his chair and stood. "Lead the way, my lady."_

_Tama gave a soft laugh and began to walk to where the dance booths were, Kouga in tow. She smiled over her shoulder at him when he made a comment about being the judge of how good she got and accidently bumped into a person in front of her. _

_"Oh! I'm sorry," The 'ry' of the last word was drawn out as she saw that it was Taijiya, who was giving her another glare._

_"Watch where you're going." She snapped before moving forward with a youkai with a long braided ponytail and crimson eyes. _

_Kagome just looked down and waited for Taijiya and her customer to go ahead of her into the dance area. She gave Kouga weak smile and ushered him into one of the booths so they could begin their dance on the next song. Pushing the thoughts of the other woman aside, she began her dance. She felt she had something to prove to Kouga since he was the one who first gave her pointers, and she wanted to give him a good dance and receive his praise. Honestly, she had Googled 'sexy lap dances' and had taken some notes. She had tried them out on previous customers over the last few days and had kept some based on their responses. _

_She started by leaning in close to him, her body lightly and fluidly rolling against his once, starting with her hips. She, without meaning to, breathed close to his pointed ear which caused him to shudder under her. Taking it as a good reaction, she marked it in her mind to include it in her dances. She then slowly pulled off of him and stepped onto the padded chair, each foot on either side of him. She slowly caressed her body, embarrassment flushing her cheeks as she did. She then bent her knees, so that she was sitting in his lap. She leaned forward so that her chest was almost close to his face, gave a little giggle when he leaned in, and stood back up before he could make contact. _

_"Let go!" She heard Taijiya shout._

_While standing, Tama quickly looked over to the next row of booths in front of her and gasped slightly when she saw the girl being held down against her customer's chest, his arm locked over her chest while his other hand groped her breast. _

_"Shh, don't fight it, it's alright, wench, I'll be gentle." He growled. _

_"Stop it!" She wailed, thrashing against his arm. "I don't want this!"_

_He scoffed. "You're a stripper, this is what you do. Now, stop fighting me!"_

_Glad that her shoes were off, she climbed over the tall booth walls and dropped down onto the one behind it. She quickly, and without thinking, curled her hand into a fist and slammed it into the side of his face. From the shock, his arm loosened on his captive and Tama pulled her away from him, holding her as she trembled slightly._

_"What is going on?!" Kouga asked, coming around the corner from where he was._

_Regaining his composure, Hiten rose to his feet with his teeth bared. "How dare you, wench? You dare hit a male? And a customer at that? I will make you pay, you petty whore!" _

_Her anger simmered at his sexist views and stripper stereotypes, her power ticking her fingertips. She clenched her teeth and tightened her fist, letting her power flare a bit, causing two of the bouncers to run over. As they stepped between the two, her opened her mouth and yelled at Hiten, "Just because we are dancers doesn't mean we are beneath you! Take your prejudice views and get out, you dick!" _

_As her power flared again, she felt a sharp electric current rake through her body starting at her ankle. She fell to her knees from the pressure of it, gasping for air as it ripped her breath from her. _

_"Tama?" Kouga asked with concerned as he bent down by her side, putting his hand on her back._

_"Tama!" Taijiya cried, also kneeling next to her. She couldn't believe this girl had just stepped in for her and defended her after how she had treated her. _

_"My apologies, Tama, but your reiki was causing an air of discomfort in my club and making our fellow youkai patrons uneasy," Bankotsu said as he walked towards the small group. "Now, mind telling me what happened?"_

_Kagome opened her mouth to respond, but could only wheeze out a breath as the aftershocks of the electricity twitched inside of her. _

_Taijiya spoke up instead. "This guy was molesting me and would have taken full advantage of me if Tama hadn't come and defended me."_

_Bankotsu lifted a brow and turned to Hiten. "Is this true?" _

_"W-what? Of course not, Bankotsu-sama!"_

_"He is lying," Kouga butted in as he stood. While he did not know exactly what happened, he could smell a lie and knew Tama would not react in such a way unless it was important. _

_As if seeing Kouga for the first time, Bankotsu blinked before giving a small bow. "Zoku-sama," He said and then turned to his bouncers and nodded at them to kick out Hiten. Once they grabbed his arms and removed him, he turned back to Kouga. "It is a pleasure as always to have you here in my establishment." He added and held out his hand._

_Kouga nodded and shook his hand. "Of course, my employees and I know this is the best place for late night entertainment. And we would know what is best; it is what we specialize in after all."_

_"Z Entertainment is a huge company that we all highly respect. And thank you again for the praise in the F.E.E. this month." The Favorite Enterprise Establishments is a monthly magazine where big companies and their CEOs talk about their favorite places to visit. "In thanks for that as well as an apology for this…mishap, please allow me to provide a complimentary bottle of our finest sake as well as put you in our VIP booth."_

_Kouga waved his hand. "It's not needed; I don't need all that flashy stuff. However, I might take you up on that offer in a few weeks when it is my company's anniversary. I will be bringing in my employees for a celebration."_

_Bankotsu bowed again. "But of course, just let me know when and I shall have all the necessary preparations complete." _

_"Thank you." He replied and then looked down at Tama and handed her a twenty. "I have to go." He said before leaving abruptly._

_Taijiya helped Tama stand and picked up her heels before leading her to the Champagne Room. She helped her sit down and sat down next to her. "You okay?" _

_Kagome nodded. "Hai, I feel better now," She responded, slipping her feet into her heels. "Thank you for helping me."_

_"Me?" She asked incredulously. "You helped me! But, why? I was so mean to you."_

_She shrugged. "It was the right thing to do. And I don't feel any hostility towards you, Taijiya. I know I didn't do anything wrong and I only wish you could see it."_

_Taijiya sighed softly. "I believe you now. No one would do that for someone they were trying to defeat." She rubbed her arms as tears filled her eyes. "S-so really, thank you for helping me. It scares me to know what could have happened."_

_Kagome smiled gently and reached out to pull her into a hug. "It's okay now, Taijiya. It's over with." She soothed and waited for her to calm down a little. "So, what exactly happened with you and Miroku?"_

_Taijiya pulled away from her and wiped her eyes. "Bankotsu told me we have to cease our relationship or he would lose his job. So, I broke up with him." She frowned, more tears spilling down her cheeks. "Of all the bad that is in my life right now, he was the only light I had. Now that he is gone, I don't know what to do with myself."_

_The miko furrowed her brows. "Why would someone tell on you guys? I think you two look cute together!" She said enthusiastically, earning a weak laugh from the other girl. _

_"I don't know, Tama, but I wish I did. I would make them pay severely." She replied sternly, hands fisting. _

_She nodded in understanding. "Well, I don't know who it is, but I'll help you through this. And I truly believe that if it was meant to be with you and Miroku, then it will be." She said, grasping her hands in hers. "So I'm sure it will work out."_

_"He hasn't so much as said a single word to me since I broke up with him," She frowned. "How will this work out?"_

_"Did you tell him why you broke up with him?" She questioned._

_"Well, no…Bankotsu didn't want me to." She responded._

_"Hmm, perhaps you should privately, just so he knows the real reason. Maybe text him or call him when neither of you are at work?" _

_"Maybe…" She sighed again and straightened up, taking a deep breath. "Thanks for listening to me."_

_She smiled kindly. "You're very welcome. If you ever need to talk to someone, I'm here, okay?"_

_Taijiya smiled. "Okay. Hey! I know, why don't I teach you some things on the pole? I want to help your stage performance. I've watched you a few times and I think you will get more business by improving your dance performance."_

_"How?" She asked, truly curious._

_"Think about it, most of the time that is when the customers are paying attention to you for the first time. You need to advertise yourself and make them want you; make them attracted to you." She pointed out. "So, I will help you with your image, okay?"_

_Kagome blinked before smiling. "Okay." She agreed._

Ever since then, Taijiya had been helping her a lot. She had definitely noticed an increase in her revenue as her tricks improved. Also, much to her surprise, she had noticed her confidence rise. She wasn't _as_ nervous to go on stage and ask for dances, or at least she covered it easily enough. Even Kikyou had noticed a change and commented on it, though she wasn't sure if it was in a negative or positive way.

But, something that had been nagging at her was Kouga. Yes, she didn't finish giving him a dance, but he had given her twenty dollars and then left in a hurry. Was he mad at her? Was afraid of her for using her miko powers? Disturbed by it? She frowned and swung her legs over the side of her bed before standing. She didn't want him to be mad at her, but she hadn't had a chance to speak with him because she hadn't seen him at Shikon in a month. She sighed and tried to push it away from her mind and count it as a loss.

Kagome then walked over to her bag and made sure she had her outfit ready for the night. Taijiya had told her she needed to theme her outfits and stick to a general genre of music so that people would relate it to her. She had decided on rock, since she always loved it and everyone else danced to hip-hop, rap, and R&B, and tonight she would be a school girl.

_How appropriate_.

Her outfit consisted of thigh high black socks with white stripes near the top, a black g-string with a very mini black skirt, a black bra, and short white top that tied together under her breasts. She would wear her glasses to top it off _and_, she glanced at her newly elevated stripper heels, black six-inch stilettos. She had practiced for a while, walking around in them at home as well as during the slow time at the club and she could now walk around in the comfortably without wobbling.

Her beeping phone tore her from her thoughts and she quickly gathered her things in her bag when she realized it was the reminder for the train. Kikyou always drove her home, considering the night train home was beyond scary alone and she sometimes missed the last train due to the time she got off, but she had to take the train there until she could get a car.

But getting a car was the least of her concerns. It was mostly paying her rent and her brother's hospital bills. Also, it was the week of the first of the month and she had to give Bankotsu something today and she had every intention of giving him everything she did not need for bills. She would pay off this debt as soon as possible and get out of Shikon.

**A/N: Hey all! Okay, I promise the next chapter will be the big club scene with Naraku and Sesshoumaru. I just felt like I really had to get this chapter in to establish their friendship (: Also, thank you for nominating Behind the Curtain for Best Angst in the Dokuga Awards (:! 3**


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